Asm. Linda Carter

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the lists of environmental infrastructure projects eligible for loans from New Jersey's Infrastructure Bank for fiscal year 2025. It modifies the project eligibility lists by adding new projects, removing some projects, and adjusting the priority rankings and loan amounts for certain projects. The bill reduces the total funding authorization from $2.73 billion to $2.47 billion and changes the total number of eligible projects from 240 to 227, including 152 clean water projects and 67 drinking water projects. These changes affect local governments, public water utilities, and other project sponsors seeking funding for environmental infrastructure improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires telecom, cable, and internet providers in New Jersey to let customers cancel service contracts without early fees when moving to a long-term care facility for at least 90 days. It applies to individuals receiving a physician's referral or care plan for relocation to licensed facilities like nursing homes, assisted living, or dementia care homes. Customers must typically provide 45 days' notice (or 48 hours if a physician orders immediate relocation), and providers may request a physician's letter as proof. The bill does not relieve customers of equipment return fees or payments for equipment they already purchased.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution expresses the New Jersey General Assembly's support for the "Breakfast Bowl," an annual football game between Montclair State University and Rowan University designed to raise awareness about food insecurity in New Jersey. The resolution recognizes the universities' existing food insecurity initiatives, including Montclair's Red Hawk Pantry and Rowan's SHOP food pantry, which provide fresh produce and food assistance to students and community members. The winner of the game will also determine whether New Jersey's signature breakfast meat is called "Pork Roll" or "Taylor Ham" until the next year's event.

Maddy summaryThis Assembly Resolution (AR 173) is a non-binding request urging the federal government to investigate unidentified drone sightings reported across New Jersey. It directly addresses federal agencies (like the FAA, Defense, and Homeland Security departments) and asks them to conduct a thorough investigation into drone activity near critical infrastructure, military sites, and residential areas. The resolution cites over a dozen counties reporting nightly drone flights, including near President-elect Trump’s property, and emphasizes that local officials and residents feel these sightings pose security concerns despite federal claims of no verified threat. It does not create new laws or regulations but formally requests federal action to address public safety worries.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends New Jersey's law governing employment programs for people with disabilities, renaming the "Sheltered Workshop Act" to the "Extended Employment Act." It changes eligibility requirements by redefining disabilities from "severe" to "significant" and removes the need for participants to complete workshop programs or prove they can't compete in the regular labor market. The bill eliminates oversight by the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, revises funding mechanisms to adjust annually based on inflation, and repeals outdated provisions about product labeling and sales from these programs. The changes aim to modernize the program to better serve people with disabilities who may not have qualified under previous rules. The bill directly affects nonprofit extended employment providers and people with disabilities enrolled in these programs.

Maddy summaryS 3611 allocates $1 million to the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute to study and map mental health care access for children. The bill requires creating a visual journey map of the steps families take to access services, identifying eligibility rules, financial barriers, and disparities by race/ethnicity. It mandates stakeholder input from providers, administrators, and families across northern, central, and southern NJ regions. The institute must submit two reports within 13 months: one mapping the care journey and another summarizing barriers, disparities, and policy recommendations for improving pediatric mental health services. This study directly affects children and families seeking mental health care in New Jersey.

Maddy summaryBill A5099 establishes a three-year pilot program for school-based mentoring in New Jersey public schools located within 1,000 feet of gunfire (defined as a "crisis zone" where gunfire occurred in the prior school year). It directly affects kindergarten through third-grade students at risk for mental health issues or substance abuse in participating schools, with the goal of improving their emotional regulation, behavior control, and peer social skills. The program requires the Commissioner of Education to select Jersey City and six other school districts (two per region), adopt a specific curriculum for weekly 25-minute one-on-one mentoring sessions focused on emotional awareness and resilience, and provide grants to schools. Participating schools must train mentors, identify eligible students, implement the curriculum, and evaluate student progress at three intervals.

Maddy summaryThis bill would expand eligibility for New Jersey veterans' benefits by removing specific time periods and locations that veterans must have served in to qualify for certain civil service and pension benefits. Instead of requiring service during particular wars or in specific conflict zones, the bill would allow veterans who have served in federal active duty in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces or Reserve component to qualify. This change would impact civil service preferences, retirement benefits through the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund and Public Employees' Retirement System, and the ability to purchase military service credit for retirement. It would make it easier for veterans of more recent conflicts to access these benefits.

Maddy summaryBill A5092 changes the quorum requirement for the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority (NJRA) from a fixed number of 11 members to a majority of its voting members. This adjustment ensures the authority can conduct business more flexibly as membership changes, without requiring a specific number of attendees. The bill also updates technical references in the law, such as replacing "special needs districts" with "SDA districts" and revising department names to "Department of Community Affairs." The NJRA, which manages redevelopment projects across New Jersey, is directly affected by this procedural change to its operational rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows retired school superintendents, administrators, and certified nurses in New Jersey to be rehired by school districts for contracts longer than two years, without needing approval from the Commissioner of Education. Under current law, such reemployment was limited to a total of two years unless the Commissioner approved extensions. The bill removes this two-year cap, permitting annual contract renewals for these specific roles. However, rehired staff will not gain tenure or seniority rights during this reemployment period. The change applies only to certified education professionals and does not alter retirement benefits or the $15,000 annual pay limit for coaching roles mentioned in the bill.